Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

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Journal of Constructional Steel Research

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jcsr

Parametric analysis of steel-concrete composite beams prestressed with

external tendons
Marcela Moreira da Rocha Almeida a, *, Alex Sander Clemente de Souza a,
Augusto Teixeira de Albuquerque b, Alexandre Rossi c
a
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
b
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Ceará, Brazil
c
College of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The use of external prestressed tendons in steel-concrete composite beams can improve the performance of
Steel-concrete composite beams beams by strengthening their structure, increasing the ultimate moment resistance, and reducing deflections. The
External prestressing present research aims to investigate the behavior of simply supported steel-concrete composite beams, pre­
Numerical investigation
stressed with external tendons and under positive bending moment through the development of a parametric
Parametric study
study. Firstly, for the beam strength determination, an analytical model is discussed. To predict the ultimate
increment in tendon stress Chen and Gu method is used. Additionally, a numerical model that can adequately
simulate the behavior of prestressed composite beams is developed using the Abaqus software. The accuracy of
this model is validated through comparisons between the obtained results and existing experimental tests. Then,
a parametric study is carried out to identify the influence of the following variables: positioning and shape of the
tendons, initial prestressing force, and tendon and span lengths. The effect of prestressing at the steel-concrete
interface is also investigated. The results of the ultimate moment from the finite element models, are
compared by applying the analytical procedure. It can be concluded that all the different tendon configurations
considered in the parametric study improved the ultimate moment resistance in the composite beams, but some
designs are more efficient than others, increasing the resistance even more, and significantly reducing the de­
flections and cracking in the concrete under service loads. Regarding the analytical procedure, it was found that
the method can adequately estimate the strength capacity of the beams.

1. Introduction
Steel-concrete composite beams are widely used in bridges and
building construction. One of the applications of this beam configura­
tion is with external prestressing, which has several advantages, such as
improving the performance of steel-concrete composite beams,
increasing ultimate resistance, reducing deflections under service loads,
and increasing the cracking resistance of concrete slab. The prestressing
technique can be used to improve the behavior of new structures or in
retrofitting, when an increase in the resistance capacity or a reduction of
displacements is required. In simply supported beams, the tendons can
be arranged in a straight or in a draped configuration profile, placed
along the beam’s entire length, or concentrated on highly loaded regions
and positioned with different eccentricities. Fig. 1 shows the elements
that are part of a steel-concrete composite beam prestressed with
external tendons.
In the early 90’s, Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1] investigated
the behavior of prestressed steel-concrete composite beams under pos­
itive moment. The authors developed tests in three beams with different
settings of prestressing and presented two methods of analysis: the
transformed area method and the strain compatibility method. They
pointed out that adding prestressing in a conventional composite beam
can increase the yielding moment and the ultimate capacity of the beam.
Draped tendons showed an increase in ductility when compared with
straight tendons. Lorenc and Kubica [2] found an increase of up to 25%
in the ultimate moment resistance and a decrease in deflections due to
service loads when external prestressing was used in the experimentally
tests. Saadatmanesh, Albrecht and Ayyub [3–5]; Troitsky, Zielinski and
Nouraeyan [6]; and Troitsky [7] developed analytical studies that pro­
vided guidelines for designing prestressed steel-concrete composite
beams. The authors indicated that the tendon and the composite beam

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: marcelamra@hotmail.com (M.M.R. Almeida).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2021.107087
Received 28 July 2021; Received in revised form 5 November 2021; Accepted 4 December 2021
Available online 17 December 2021
0143-974X/© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Notation Mu,FE,L/50 ultimate moment from the finite element analysis at a

displacement limit of L/50
The following symbols are used in this paper: Mu,FE,L/100 ultimate moment from the finite element analysis at a
As sectional area of the steel beam displacement limit of L/100
Bc concrete slab width Mu,A ultimate moment by the analytical method
Cc resulting force in the compressed section of the concrete Mu,A,ΔT ultimate moment by the analytical method considering the
c distance from the neutral axis, from the top of the slab increment in prestressing force
E modulus of elasticity P applied force
Ecm secant modulus of concrete Tp0 initial prestressing force
Ep elastic modulus of prestressed tendons w crack opening displacement
fcm compressive cylinder strength of concrete wc crack opening displacement at which stress can no longer
fp proportional limit be applied
fptk characteristic tensile strength of prestressing steel Zp half the size of plastic zone
ft splitting tensile strength ΔTp increment in prestressing force
fu ultimate strength δ deflection
fy yield strength δu ultimate deflection
Gf fracture energy δu,EXP ultimate experimental deflection
hc slab thickness δu,FE ultimate finite element deflection
he eccentricity of the tendons, measured from the bottom of Δσ psu ultimate stress increment in tendons
the steel beam ε strain
L span length εc compressive strain in concrete
Li span between applied forces εcu ultimate compressive strain in concrete
lp tendon length εc1 compressive strain in concrete at peak stress
M moment εu ultimate strain
Mu ultimate moment εy yield strain
Mu,EXP ultimate moment from experiments ν poisson’s ratio
Mu,FE ultimate moment from the finite element analysis σc compressive stress in concrete

Fig. 1. Parts of a steel-concrete composite beam prestressed with external tendons.

Fig. 2. Plastic stress distribution in the beam cross section.

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 3. Tendon configuration.

Transversal
reinforcement
(T3D2)

Headed
stud (B31)
Concrete slab
(C3D8R)

Longitudinal
Steel beam reinforcement
(S4R) (T3D2)
Tendon
(T3D2)

Fig. 4. Numerical model.

Fig. 5. Mesh discretization.
must be treated as separate parts, since there is no shear transferred
between them. They presented equations to estimate the increment in
tendon force due to external loads.
To study the ultimate moment and the incremental tendon stress of
steel-concrete composite beams prestressed with external tendons, Chen
and Gu [8] carried out tests in two beams. The authors proposed
simplified equations for predicting the ultimate incremental tendon
force. The final tendon force was implemented in the expressions to
estimate the ultimate load carrying capacity for the composite beams.
The analytical model was able to successfully predict the ultimate
moment resistance, and the tests confirmed that adding prestressing can
significantly increase the yielding and the ultimate loads, with less
deflection in service loads. Zona, Ragni and Dall’Asta [9] also presented
a simplified method for evaluating the tendon traction increment at
collapse and the whole beam flexural strength without requiring a
nonlinear analysis of the beam-tendon structural system. A good
approximation of the results was obtained when compared with a
nonlinear finite element formulation which was validated by compari­
sons with experimental tests.
Some investigations on externally prestressed steel-concrete com­
posite beams were carried out with the development of finite element
models. Lou et al. [10] proposed a finite element model to analyze
externally prestressed steel-concrete composite beams under short-term
loads at all ranges of loading up to failure, and under long-term loads at
service loads, considering geometric nonlinearity. The results showed
that external prestressing can significantly improve the short-term
behavior of a steel-concrete composite beam. However, due to time-
dependent effects, the long-term responses seem to be similar for com­
posite beams with and without prestressing. Moscoso, Tamayo, and
Morsch [11] proposed a three-dimensional finite element model to
simulate externally prestressed steel-concrete composite beams. The
authors also verified the accuracy of simplified equations that predict
cracking lengths at interior supports at service load and the ultimate

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 6. Contact between surfaces.

Symmetry on the Z Uy, Ux

axis (Uz, URx, URy)

Fig. 7. Boundary conditions.

Fig. 8. Constitutive models of steel.

bending moment resistance. Dall’Asta and Zona [12] presents a finite
element model for the nonlinear analysis of beams prestressed by
external slipping cables of an analytical model previously developed for
external prestressing [13,14]. The formulation presented by the authors
involves composite beams with deformable shear connection, and more
information and clarifications regarding the model presented by the
authors can be found in Dall’Asta and Zona [15]. The authors [13,14]
analyzed an externally prestressed continuous composite beam and
showed the need for further analysis to better understand the complex
behavior of these elements and their possible failure modes. Posteriorly,
Dall’Asta, Ragni and Zona [16,17] present a new model, based on the
theory of small strains and moderate rotations, for externally prestressed
steel-concrete composite beams that include geometric and material
nonlinearities. The authors affirm the importance of considering geo­
metric and material nonlinearities to analyze the collapse modes of
prestressed steel-concrete composite beams. The examples presented by
the authors show the complexity of the problems, and, in addition, the
authors affirm the need to develop more numerical studies for defining
the applicability limits of the geometric linear analysis. The model
presented by [16,17] was revised by Zona, Ragni and Dall’Asta [18]
and, afterward, a displacement formulation was introduced.
Chen [19] experimentally investigated the cracking behavior and the
ultimate negative moment of prestressed steel-concrete composite
beams with external tendons under negative moment. The author found
that adding external prestressing in negative moment regions can
improve the cracking resistance of the beams, and that the failure
criteria in those regions is governed by either distortional lateral buck­
ling or local buckling, or by an association of both. A methodology for
estimating the buckling resistance was proposed and discussed.
Important investigations with externally prestressed steel-concrete
composite beams were developed by El-Zohairy et al. [20], El-Zohairy
and Salim [21] and El-Zohairy, Salim and Saucier [22]. El-Zohairy

4
M.M.R. Almeida et al.
Fig. 9. Constitutive model of concrete.
Table 1
CDP parameters.
Parameter Value Description
Ψ( ) ◦
36 Dilatation angle
ξ 0.1 Eccentricity
Ratio of initial equibiaxial compressive yield stress to initial
σbo/σco 1.16
uniaxial compressive yield stress
Kc 0.667 Ratio of the second stress invariant on the tensile meridian
μ (s− 1) 0.001 Viscosity parameter
et al. [20] proposed a finite element model to simulate the behavior of
steel-concrete composite beams strengthened with post-tensioned ten­
dons. The study showed that using post-tensioned tendons in regions of
positive moments can increase ultimate capacity of steel-concrete
composite beams by 25% and the flexural stiffness by 33%. Later, El-
Zohairy and Salim [21] developed a parametric study for post-
tensioned composite beams with external tendons, by proposing a nu­
merical model. The authors [21] investigated the influence of the
following parameters: draped versus straight tendons, tendon length, the
effect of post-tensioning on the repairing of an overloaded beam, tendon
eccentricity, and degree of shear connection. The results indicate that
using draped instead of straight tendons leads to better results, but with
straight tendons a more ductile behavior is achieved. The authors also
observed that applying the tendons through the entire length of the
beam helps to reduce cracks, which can increase the fatigue life of the
composite beam. In El-Zohairy, Salim and Saucier [22] experimental
tests were carried out to investigate the fatigue behavior in four exper­
imental tests. The authors reported that the use of post-tensioning
improved the behavior of the beams, reducing strains in the studs,
concrete slab and in the steel beams. On the other hand, the concrete
slab suffered additional longitudinal fatigue cracks.
Although some theoretical studies have been developed, most ana­
lyses did not compare numerical with analytical results. Besides that, the
reported experimental tests and parametric studies did not explore a vast
number and configuration of models. In this context, there is a need to
expand and diversify the models and analyzed parameters. Therefore,
the main objective of this research is to investigate the mechanical
behavior of simply supported steel-concrete composite beams pre­
stressed with external tendons under positive moment, by analytical and
numerical studies in beams designed with several tendon configurations,
composing a parametric analysis. Abaqus software [23] was used to
assemble the numerical models that are part of the parametric study.
The following parameters were analyzed: shape and eccentricity of the
tendons, initial prestressing force, and tendon and span lengths. Addi­
tionally, the effect of prestressing at the steel-concrete interface was
investigated. Finally, the ultimate capacity of each model was predicted
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Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087
through analytical expressions, and the results were compared to the
numerical prediction.
2. Analytical method to estimate the ultimate bending moment
resistance in prestressed steel-concrete composite beams
In simply supported steel-concrete composite beams, the ultimate
moment resistance in positive moment regions can be determined based
on the assumption of full plastic rectangular stresses distribution on the
steel section, which is the analyses procedure adopted by the Brazilian
Code [24]. For prestressed beams, an adaptation of this procedure can
be made, including the tendons under elastic range. In prestressed steel-
concrete composite beams, with the application of external vertical
loads, there is an increase in tendon forces. The final tendon force should
be used to estimate more accurately the ultimate moment resistance.
The simplified method proposed by Chen and Gu [8] to predict the ul­
timate increment in tendon stress is used in the following analyses.
2.1. Ultimate moment resistance
In prestressed steel-concrete composite beams, the ultimate moment
resistance in positive moment regions can be determined by a theoret­
ical methodology, based on the assumption of full plastic rectangular
stresses distribution on the steel section, including the tendons under
elastic range (see Fig. 2). The following analyses consider full interaction
between the concrete slab and the steel beam and the neutral axis
restricted in the concrete slab, as it happens in most composite beams.
The neutral axis position can be determined by the equilibrium of in­
ternal forces, written in Eq. (1). The ultimate moment resistance can be
determined by adding the moments of all internal forces over the neutral
axis, as presented in Eq. (2).
( )
c=
f y .As + Tp0 + ΔTp
(1)
0, 85.f c .Bc
( )
Mu = f y .As .yTs + Tp0 + ΔTp .yTp + Cc .yCc (2)
YTs, YTp and YCc are determined as shown in Fig. 2.
When designing prestressed steel-concrete composite beams, the
initial prestressing force should be limited to avoid the tendons’ rupture,
prevent prestressing losses due to relaxation of the prestressing steel,
and to avoid elevated strains that can result in the occurrence of
corrosion under tensile stress. The following analyses are focused on
short-term behavior rather than long-term behavior and time-dependent
losses, so the relaxation effect in the tendons was not considered.
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 10. Geometry of Beam 1 and 2, by Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1].

2.2. Ultimate incremental tendon stress 3. Numerical model

The ultimate incremental tendon stresses can be derived as presented To develop the numerical investigation in the present study, the
by Chen and Gu [8], based on the assumption that, at the ultimate state, software Abaqus [23] was employed. For simplification purposes, the
the majority of deflections in a composite beam are located at the plastic models were assembled considering one plane of symmetry.
zone. In this case, the ultimate deflection can be derived by integrating
the curvature of the beam over the whole span, neglecting the elastic 3.1. Element types and mesh
deformation. Therefore, the full tendon length at the ultimate state can
be estimated and the ultimate tendon stress increment can be deter­ The slab was modeled by using eight-node linear hexahedral solid
mined. For external straight tendons, with no restrains on the tendons at elements with reduced integration (C3D8R). For the steel beam, the
mid-span, the ultimate tendon stress increment can be determined as quadrilateral shell element with reduced integration (S4R) was
displayed in Eq. (3). For external draped tendons, it can be determined employed. The shear connectors were modeled by using two-node beam
as displayed in Eq. (4). elements (B31) as well as performed by [25,26]. Finally, the tendons and
[ ( ) ( ) ] the reinforcement were modeled by using two-node linear three-
Ep 4 (h − he ) (δu ) 2 L + lp δu 2 dimensional truss elements (T3D2). The elements which constitute the
Δσpsu = / − 2εcu Zp − ( / ) (3)
lp 1 − 2Zp L L 1 − 2Zp L 2 L numerical model are presented in Fig. 4.
During the assembly of the models, different levels of mesh refine­
⎡ ( ) ⎤
ment were tested. Based on the comparison between the models and
2L h − h’ e − La (heL− h’e ) ( )
Ep ⎢ δ u L 2
(L + L ) (δ /L)2⎥
previous experimental tests, the usage of a 10 mm mesh in the steel
Δσpsu = ⎢ / − 2εcu Zp − ( / b u
) ⎥
lp ⎣ L 2 − Zp L 2 L 2 − Zp 2 ⎦ beam, as well as used by [27–29], and one of 20 mm in the other ele­
ments led to satisfactory results. Mesh discretization is displayed in
(4) Fig. 5.
La, Lb, h, he, h’e are determined as shown in Fig. 3.

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 11. Geometry of Beam 3, by Chen and Gu [8].

Fig. 12. Geometry of Beam 4, by Lorenc and Kubica [2].

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Table 2 constraint. This constraint assumes no separation between the nodes of

Summary of mechanical properties for the calibration models. the elements. To simulate contact between the tendons and the extreme
Model Steel beam Concrete High strength plate of the steel beam, where the tendons are anchored, the tie
slab strands constraint was also used. At contact points between the intermediate
fy (MPa) fu (MPa) fcm (MPa) fy fu stiffeners, deviators and tendons, coupling constrain was used, allowing
(MPa) (MPa) to specify the degrees of freedom. In this case, all degrees of freedom
Web Flange Web Flange
were restrained, except for the translation towards the tendons. The
Beams 1 contact properties between the surfaces are illustrated in Fig. 6.
411.6 411.6 565.4 565.4 40 1620 1860
and 2
Beam 3 327.7 406.5 492.6 593.6 30 1680 1860
Beam 4 293.0 262.0 428.0 428.0 33 1680 1860 3.3. Boundary conditions

Regarding the boundary conditions, the composite beams are simply

3.2. Contact properties
To represent the interaction between the concrete slab and the top
flange of the steel profile, the surface-to-surface contact was used. A
hard property was assumed in the normal direction to the plane, and a
penalty property was assumed in the tangential direction with a friction
coefficient of 0.4, as adopted by Rossi et al. [30–32]. The interaction
between the reinforcement and the headed shear studs in the concrete
slab were defined using the embedded constraint. In this approach, the
nodes of the embedded elements are constrained in the host element,
considering a perfect bonding among them. With this modeling tech­
nique it is possible to analyze the shear connector deformation and the
steel-concrete interface slip. Thus, differently of the technique used by
Zhou and Yan [33] that provide a load-slip relationship, in the numerical
modeling presented in this article it is not necessary to pre-define a load-
slip relationship. Welded regions, such as the contact among studs and
the steel beam or stiffeners and web were modeled by using tie
supported. The beams were modeled considering a symmetry plane on
the Z axis. Web stiffeners were placed at the ends of the beam, at the
supports, and at the loading points. Details of the boundary conditions
can be seen in Fig. 7.
3.4. Loading steps
To simulate the post-tensioning technique, the loading application
occurred through the development of an initial step followed by two
loading steps. In the initial step, the boundary conditions were imple­
mented, and the tendon stresses were applied. To apply the initial
tendon stress, the command predefined field was used. In this command,
it is possible to select the tendon and define a value for the mechanical
variable stress in the initial step. Then, the stresses are implemented in
the following steps. As a result of the definition of predefined fields, in
the first loading step the tendon stresses were incrementally transferred
from the tendons to the composite beam by the contact at the

800 800
700 700
600 600
500 500
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)

400 400
300 300
200 200
Experimental Experimental
100 100
Numerical Numerical
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80
δ (mm) δ (mm)
(a) Beam 1, by Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1]. (b) Beam 2, by Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1].
400 900
350 800

300 700
600
250
M (kN.m)

500
M (kN.m)

200
400
150
300
100 200
Experimental Experimental
50 Numerical 100 Numerical

0 0
-10 10 30 50 70 90 -10 10 30 50 70 90
δ (mm) δ (mm)
(c) Beam 3, by Chen and Gu [8]. (d) Beam 4, by Lorenc and Kubica [2].

Fig. 13. Moment vs deflection curves for numerical and test results.

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

800 800
700 700
600 600
500 500
M (kN.m)

400 400

M (kN.m)
300 300
200 200
Experimental Experimental
100 100 Numerical
Numerical
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80 100
ΔT (kN) ΔT (kN)

(a) Beam 1, by Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1]. (b) Beam 2, by Ayyub, Sohn and Saadatmanesh [1].
400 900
350 800

300 700
600
250
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)
500
200
400
150
300
100
Experimental 200
50 Experimental
Numerical 100
Numerical
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80 100
ΔT (kN) ΔT (kN)

(c) Beam 3, by Chen and Gu [8]. (d) Beam 4, by Lorenc and Kubica [2].

Fig. 14. Moment vs incremental tendon forces for numerical and test results.

Table 3
Comparison between numerical models, experimental and analytical results.
Model Experimental Numerical Analytical Mu,EXP/ Mu,FE Mu,EXP/ Mu,ANA

Mu,EXP (kN.m) δu,EXP (mm) ΔT,EXP (kN) Mu,FE (kN.m) δu,FE (mm) ΔT,FE (kN) Mu,A (kN.m)

Beam 1 704.6 56.0 73.2 694.6 65.0 70.9 662.8 1.01 1.06
Beam 2 693.7 74.0 82.5 694.2 65.8 92.6 650.2 1.00 1.07
Beam 3 373.2 82.1 62.7 362.1 69.9 66.6 375.1 1.03 1.00
Beam 4 841.4 79.0 70.0 821.0 81.0 93.0 777.2 1.02 1.06

anchorages. Finally, in the second step, the external load was incre­
mentally applied to the beam.
3.5. Material modeling
3.5.1. Steel
For the steel beam, the stress-strain relationship adopted was ac­
cording to Han et al. [34]. In this constitutive model, the hardening path
is defined by a tri-linear region (Fig. 8a). To reinforcing bars and headed
stud shear connectors, an elastoplastic model with positive linear
hardening was used, as shown in Fig. 8b.
3.5.2. Concrete
To model the concrete slab, the concrete damage plasticity (CDP)
model was used, adopting compressive crushing or tensile cracking as
failures mechanisms. The stress-strain relationship used to represent the
behavior of concrete in compression was given by Eurocode 2 [35] (Eqs.
5–6), as illustrated in Fig. 9a. The tensile behavior of concrete was
defined in terms of fracture energy, derived from Hillerborg [36]. In this
approach, a stress-displacement response is used instead of a stress-
strain response, as illustrated in Fig. 9b. According to Abaqus Manual
[23] the fracture energy proposal is adequate to prevent the occurrence
of unreasonable mesh sensitivity in many practical purposes and the
fracture energy (Gf) is a material property with typical values ranging
from 40 N/m for typical construction concrete to 120 N/m for high
strength concrete. As stated by Hillerborg [36] is not necessary to
measure Gf with the same accuracy as many other material properties, as
the sensitivity is low. The value of 40 N/m was adopted on this simu­
lation. Tensile strength is given by Eq. (7), as in Eurocode 2 [35]. The
CDP input parameters are listed in Table 1.
σc k (εc /εc1 ) − (εc /εc1 )2
= (5)
f cm 1 + (k − 2) (εc /εc1 )
Ecm |εc1 |
k = 1.05 (6)
f cm

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 15. Cross section of the models.

Table 4
Characteristics of the parametric study models.
Model L (mm) Li (mm) lp (mm) Tendon profile he (mm) Tp0 (kN) φp (mm) Bc (mm) hc (mm) d (mm) bf (mm) tf (mm) tw (mm)

1 4500 1500 – – – – – 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75

2 4500 1500 4500 Straight 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
3 4500 1500 1500 Straight 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
4 4500 1500 3700 Straight − 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
5 4500 1500 4500 Straight − 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
6 4500 1500 1500 Straight − 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
7 4500 1500 4500 Draped 50 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
8 4500 1500 4500 Draped 50 150 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
9 4500 1500 4500 Draped − 100 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
10 4500 1500 4500 Straight − 100 110 12.7 1200 100 250 120 8 4.75
11 8000 5000 – – – – – 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
12 8000 5000 8000 Straight 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
13 8000 5000 5000 Straight 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
14 8000 5000 7200 Straight − 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
15 8000 5000 8000 Straight − 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
16 8000 5000 5000 Straight − 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
17 8000 5000 8000 Draped 50 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
18 8000 5000 8000 Draped 50 150 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
19 8000 5000 8000 Draped − 100 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
20 8000 5000 8000 Straight − 100 110 12.7 2000 100 250 120 8 4.75
21 16,000 6000 – – – – – 3000 150 450 200 12.5 6.3
22 16,000 6000 16,000 Straight 50 150 12.7 3000 150 450 200 12.5 6.3
23 16,000 6000 16,000 Draped 50 150 12.7 3000 150 450 200 12.5 6.3
24 16,000 6000 16,000 Straight 50 150 2 × 12.7 3000 150 450 200 12.5 6.3
25 16,000 6000 16,000 Straight 50 110 12.7 3000 150 450 200 12.5 6.3
26 20,000 6000 – – – – – 3000 150 600 300 12.5 8
27 20,000 6000 20,000 Straight 50 150 12.7 3000 150 600 300 12.5 8
28 20,000 6000 20,000 Draped 50 150 12.7 3000 150 600 300 12.5 8
29 20,000 6000 20,000 Straight 50 150 2 × 12.7 3000 150 600 300 12.5 8
30 20,000 6000 20,000 Straight 50 110 12.7 3000 150 450 300 12.5 8

positive moment. Beam 1 was modeled according to the tests developed

f t = 0.3 f ck (2/3)
4. Validation of the numerical model
To validate the accuracy of the numerical model, four models were
assembled based on previous experimental data in simply supported
steel-concrete composite beams prestressed with external tendons under
(7)
by Ayyub, Sohn, and Saadatmanesh [1], with a total length of 4724 mm,
a concrete slab of 1067 mm of width attached to the steel beam through
shear studs, and reinforced with 9.5 mm bars in two orthogonal di­
rections, and prestressed with 15 mm straight tendons profile, according
to Fig. 10. Beam 2 was also part of the work of Ayyub, Sohn and Saa­
datmanesh [1], and has the same design details as Beam 1, prestressed
with the same type of tendons, except for the draped profile (Fig. 10).

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Table 5
Mechanical properties of materials.
Element E (MPa) ν fcm (MPa) fy (MPa) fu (MPa)
Concrete slab 30,588 0.2 30 – –
Steel beams 200,000 0.3 – 300 400
Reinforcement bars 210,000 0.3 – 500 540
Headed studs 205,000 0.3 – 345 415
Tendons 200,000 0.3 – 1680 1870
Beam 3 was modeled according to Chen and Gu [8], with total length of
5150 mm, a 1100 mm wide concrete slab attached to the steel beam
through shear studs, reinforced with 8 mm bars in two orthogonal di­
rections, and prestressed with 7φ5 strands with straight profile, as
shown in Fig. 11. Beam 4 was modeled according to Lorenc and Kubica
[2], with a total length of 5524 mm, an 800 mm wide concrete slab
connected to the steel beam by pairs of shear studs spaced 100 mm along
the entire length of the beam, except for the support regions, where the
studs were placed in three rows at a 80 mm spacing. The slab was
reinforced with 8 mm bars in two orthogonal directions, and the com­
posite beam was prestressed with two 15.7 mm tendons with straight
profile, as shown in Fig. 12. All the beams were designed to attain full
shear connection. A summary of the mechanical properties for the
calibration models is shown in Table 2.
The comparisons between the numerical models and the experi­
mental results are shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The ultimate moments
determined numerically and analytically, are compared with the test
results in Table 3, which also compare the ultimate deflections and in­
crements in tendon forces by numerical and tests results. The results
show a satisfactory correlation between the curves, indicating that the
numerical models were able to represent the behavior verified experi­
mentally. The comparison between analytical and experimental results
proved that the methodology presented for predicting the ultimate
moment resistance in composite beams prestressed with external ten­
dons is accurate. Thereby, the modeling methodology will be used to
develop the parametric study.
5. Parametric study
In the proposed parametric study, the influence of several factors on
the ultimate resistance and serviceability behavior of the steel-concrete
composite beams were analyzed. The beams were designed considering
full shear connection, in accordance with the Brazilian Code [24],
regardless of prestressing. The analyzed parameters were: shape and
eccentricity of tendons, initial prestressing force, tendon length, and
span length. The composite beams were subjected to positive bending
moment, simulating four point bending tests. Regarding the shape of
tendons, the models were assembled with straight and draped tendons.
Different eccentricities were tested, positioning the tendons above and
below the bottom flange. The initial degree of prestressing, span and
tendon length also varied in the models.
The parametric study consists of 30 beams with different span
geometries and tendon configurations, divided into four groups. The
first group consists of ten beams with a 4500 mm span, one reference
model, without prestressing and nine with different tendon arrange­
ments. The second group also consists of ten beams, one reference
model, without prestressing, and nine with different tendon arrange­
ments, but with an 8000 mm span. The third and fourth group consists
each of five beams with a 16,000 mm and 20,000 mm span, respectively,
with one reference model without prestressing and four with different
tendon arrangements. In all the models, the concrete slab reinforcement
consisted of 8 mm in diameter bars in two orthogonal directions, with a
150 mm spacing between them. A pair of 15.9 mm diameter studs were
placed at the top flange, with a 300 mm spacing between the pairs. The
general cross section of the models is shown in Fig. 15.
A summary of the characteristics of the models that are part of the
parametric study is presented in Table 4. In the models, the section of the
steel beam was the same on the first and second groups, varying the
depth-to-length ratio and the beams from the third and four groups had
different steel section. Other geometric parameters were varied between
the models. The mechanical properties of the materials are shown in
Table 5.
The longitudinal geometry of the reference beams, without any
prestressed tendons, is presented in Fig. 16. Fig. 17 shows the longitu­
dinal geometry of the beams with the tendons positioned within the
cross section of the steel beam, with an eccentricity of 50 mm. The
models illustrated on Fig. 17a have similar configuration as some of the
models from El-Zohairy and Salim [21]. In this case, the stiffeners are
tick enough to anchor the tendons without any local damage to the
beam. Figs. 18 and 19 show, respectively, the longitudinal geometry of
the beams with an eccentricity of − 50 mm and − 100 mm, which cor­
responds to tendons positioned below the bottom flange of the steel
beam.
6. Results and discussion
The analyses performed in this work investigated the behavior of
simply supported steel-concrete composite beams prestressed with
external tendons under positive bending moment. The parametric study
investigated the following parameters: profile and eccentricity of ten­
dons, initial prestressing force, tendon length and span length and the
effect of prestressing at the steel-concrete interface. All the following
analyzes were developed considering deflection control in order to
satisfy a reasonable serviceability limit state. The results were limited to
a L/50 deflection, and the results at a L/100 level were also presented.
Moreover, these results were compared and validated with the results
obtained by the analytical methodology presented.
6.1. Influence of tendon profile
The first parameter analyzed was the profile of tendons. Further­
more, straight and draped tendon profiles were considered. While a
straight tendon profile subjects the beam to a constant negative bending

Fig. 16. Control beams without prestressing.

11
M.M.R. Almeida et al.
Fig. 17. Beams with he = 50 mm: (a) straight tendon with lp = L; (b) straight tendon with lp = Li; (c) draped tendon with lp = L.
moment due to prestressing, a draped tendon profile can lead to a lower
negative bending moment at supports when placed near to the neutral
axis of the beam cross section, better balancing the loads.
Fig. 20 presents the bending moment vs deflection at mid-span for
straight and draped tendon profiles, considering beams with 4500 mm
and 8000 mm span and an eccentricity of he = 50 mm, and Fig. 21 shows
the increment in tendon forces due to the increase in the bending
moment. The control beams, without prestressing, are also shown. The
results indicate a similar behavior with straight or draped tendon pro­
files, with a discreet increase in stiffness for the straight tendon at the
plastic range, in both 4500 mm and 8000 mm span.
In the beams with eccentricity of he = − 100 mm (Fig. 22), it can also
be noticed a similar initial behavior with straight or draped tendon
profiles, but the beam with draped profile proved to be stiffer at the
plastic range. This effect is influenced by the reduction of stress in
models with draped tendons, caused by the reduced eccentricity at the
12
Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087
ends of the beams when compared to the beams with straight tendons.
Fig. 23 shows the stress distribution for the 4500 mm beam, for both
tendon profiles at the same load level. Fig. 24 shows the increase in
tendon forces due to the increased bending moment, and it can be seen
that in the tendons with straight profile the capacity to receive an in­
crease in forces is reduced when compared to the tendons with draped
profiles, which helps to justify their reduced resistance.
Although for he = 50 mm the beam with draped tendon has a slightly
lower ultimate moment, it proved to be less susceptible to damage from
tensile stresses when compared to the beam with straight tendon. Fig. 25
shows the damage representation in the tensile concrete slab at the same
loading level, for straight and draped profiles, in the beam with 4500
mm span and he = 50 mm, where the damage level is superior at the
beam with straight tendon.
M.M.R. Almeida et al.
Fig. 18. Beams with he = − 50 mm: (a) straight tendon with lp = L - 800 mm; (b) straight tendon with lp = L; (c) straight tendon with lp = Li.
6.2. Influence of eccentricity of tendons
The next parameter investigated was the eccentricity of tendons,
which is the distance between the cable position and the centroid of the
beam section. In this work, the eccentricity is represented in terms of
distance between the center of the tendon and the bottom web of the
steel beam (he), as shown in Fig. 15. These were the eccentricities
considered in the models: 50 mm (above the bottom web), − 50 mm and
− 100 mm (below the bottom web). Fig. 26 shows the bending moment
vs deflection for the different eccentricities, in 4500 mm and 8000 mm
long beams. For the 4500 mm long beam, higher eccentricities increased
the initial upward deflection and improved the overall behavior of the
beam, reducing deflection under service loads and increasing the ulti­
mate moment resistance. For the 8000 mm long beam, an increase in the
initial upward deflection and an improvement in the initial service­
ability behavior also occurred in the models with higher eccentricity,
but at the plastic range they lost stiffness when compared to the one with
lower eccentricity. This happened due to elevated stresses at the ends of
the beam, which resulted in tensile damage in the concrete slab.
13
Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087
Tendons with higher eccentricity improved the beam behavior at
service loads and were subjected to a greater increase in tendon forces
during the beginning of loading (Fig. 27).
6.3. Influence of initial prestressing force
The influence of the initial prestressing force was also verified. The
initial degree of prestressing is controlled by the resistance of the ten­
dons. Two different prestressing forces were evaluated: 110 kN and 150
kN, in 4500 mm and 8000 mm long beams with draped tendons. Fig. 28
presents the development of the bending moment vs the deflection at the
mid-span, for the 4500 mm and 8000 mm long beams with different
initial prestressing forces, and Fig. 29 shows the development of the
bending moment vs the increment in tendon forces for the same beams.
For the 4500 mm long beam, a higher initial prestressing force
resulted in an increase in the initial upward deflection, an improvement
in the serviceability behavior, and a raise in the overall resistance, when
compared with the beam with lower initial prestressing force. Also, it is
observed that the increment in tendon forces is initially the same for the
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Fig. 19. Beams with he = − 100 mm: (a) draped tendon with lp = L; (b) straight tendon with lp = L.

350 (1) Control Beam

350
(11) Control Beam
(2) Straight Tendon (12) Straight tendon
300 (7) Draped Tendon 300 (17) Draped tendon
L/50 L/50
250 L/100 250 L/100

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
-5 15 35 55 75 95 -5 15 35 55 75 95 115 135 155
δ (mm) δ (mm)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span

Fig. 20. Moment vs deflection for straight and draped tendon profiles and he = 50 mm.

two cases, but after a moment of about 150 kN.m, the beam with T0 =
150 kN decreases the rate of increment when compared with the beam
with T0 = 110 kN. For the 8000 mm long beam, a higher initial pre­
stressing force resulted in an increase in the initial upward deflection,
but the behavior under service loads is similar to the beam with lower
initial prestressing force. After a moment of about 220 kN⋅m, in the
plastic range, the beam with T0 = 150 kN becomes less stiff than the one
with T0 = 110 kN. In this case, on a longer beam, an elevated initial
prestressing force may not be very effective in improving the behavior of
the beam, because the tendons are already under high stresses and
cannot accept any more loads while maintaining the stresses in the
elastic range.
6.4. Influence of tendon length
To assess the influence of the tendon length on the behavior of the
steel-concrete composite beams, 4500 mm and 8000 mm long beams
were designed, with different tendon lengths and straight profiles. For
the shorter beam with tendon eccentricity of − 50 mm, 3700 mm, 4500
mm and 1500 mm long tendons were placed. In this case, the behavior of
the beams with 3700 mm (intermediate length) and 4500 mm (full
length) tendons were similar until the beginning of yielding, at that

14
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

350 350
(2) Straight tendon (12) Straight tendon
300 (7) Draped tendon 300 (17) Draped tendon

250 250

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)
150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
ΔTp (kN) ΔTp (kN)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 21. Moment vs increment in tendon forces for straight and draped tendon profiles and he = 50 mm.

400 400
(1) Control Beam (11) Control Beam
(9) Draped Tendon (19) Draped Tendon
350 (10) Straight Tendon 350
(20) Straight Tendon
L/50
L/50
300 L/100 300
L/100

250 250
M (kN.m)
M (kN.m)

200 200

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
-10 5 20 35 50 65 80 95 -10 15 40 65 90 115 140 165
δ (mm) δ (mm)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 22. Moment vs deflection for straight and draped tendon profiles and he = − 100 mm.

(a) Straight profile (b) Draped profile

Fig. 23. Stress distribution for the 4500 mm steel profile and he = − 100 mm.

point the beam with longer tendons became stiffer, and showed a higher
ultimate moment, as seen in Fig. 30a. The beam with shorter tendons
was not as rigid and resistant as the others. On the other hand, at the
8000 mm beam and eccentricity of − 50 mm, the behavior of the beams
with 7200 mm (intermediate length) and 8000 mm (full length) tendons
were similar until the beginning of yielding, but then the beam with
intermediate tendons became slightly stiffer, and had a higher ultimate
moment, as seen in Fig. 30b.
For the shorter beam with tendon eccentricity of 50 mm, longer
tendons were much more effective in increasing the beam resistance, as
seen in Fig. 31a. Besides, it is possible to see more clearly the beginning
of yielding in the beam with shorter tendons. Similar behavior occurred

15
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

400 400
(9) Draped Tendon
(19) Draped Tendon
350 (10) Straight Tendon
350 (20) Straight Tendon

300 300
250 250
200
M (kN.m)

200

M (kN.m)
150 150
100 100
50 50
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
ΔTp (kN)
ΔTp (kN)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 24. Moment vs increment in tendon forces for straight and draped tendon profiles and he = − 100 mm.

The tendon profile, initial prestressing force and number of tendons

Fig. 25. Tensile damage of the concrete slab.
on the longer beam, as shown in Fig. 31b.
6.5. Influence of beam length
To evaluate the influence of the beam length, three different spans
were investigated: 8000, 16,000 and 20,000 mm. The cross section of
the beams varied between the different lengths, maintaining a similar
depth-to-length ratio. The tendons were positioned 50 mm above bot­
tom flange, which means that the greater the height of the beam, the
greater the eccentricity between the tendon and the composite section.
were varied in the models. Fig. 32 presents the development of the
bending moment vs the deflection in the beams with different lengths.
While at the 8000 mm long beam a set of two 12.7 mm tendons with
an initial prestressing force of 110 kN increased about 65% the ultimate
resistance at a deflection of L/100 when comparing to the reference
beam, with the same tendon configuration and higher eccentricity, an
increase of only about 19% and 14% was achieved at the 16,000 and
20,000 mm long beams, respectively. With two sets of two 12.7 mm
tendons and T0 = 150 kN, the ultimate resistance increased about 45%
for the 16,000 mm long beam and about 33% for the 20,000 mm long
beam and the initial upward deflection was almost two times higher
when comparing to the beams with only one set of two tendons. The
decrease in prestressing efficiency in longer beams is because in these
beams a stronger composite section is needed, and the prestressed ten­
dons represents a smaller portion of the resistant section. The moment vs
deflection response of the beams with straight and draped tendons are
similar for the analyzed beam lengths. The increase in initial prestress­
ing force did not significantly increase the beam response.
6.6. Influence of prestressing at steel-concrete interface
The influence of prestressing in the shear behavior of the interface
between steel beam and concrete slab can be evaluated by measuring the

350 350 (11) Control Beam

(1) Control Beam
(2) he = 50 mm (12) he = 50 mm
(5) he = -50 mm (15) he = - 50 mm
300 300
(10) he = - 100 mm (20) he = -100 mm
L/50 L/50
L/100 250 L/100
250

200
M (kN.m)

200
M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0
0
-10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
-5 15 35 55 75 95
δ (mm) δ (mm)

(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span

Fig. 26. Moment vs deflection for different eccentricities.

16
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

350 350
(2) he = 50 mm (12) he = 50 mm
(5) he = -50 mm (15) he = -50 mm
300 300
(10) he = -100 mm (20) he = -100 mm

250 250

200 200

M (kN.m)
M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80
ΔTp (kN) ΔTp (kN)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) lp = 8000 mm span
Fig. 27. Moment vs increment in tendon forces for different eccentricities.

350 350 (11) Control Beam

(1) Control Beam
(7) T0 = 100 kN (17) T0 = 110 kN
300 (8) T0 = 150 kN 300 (18) T0 = 150 kN
L/50 L/50
L/100 L/100
250 250

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
-5 15 35 55 75 95 -10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
δ (mm)
δ (mm)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span

Fig. 28. Moment vs deflection for T0 = 110 kN and T0 = 150 kN.

350 350
(7) T0 = 110 kN (17) T0 = 110 kN
300 (8) T0 = 150 kN
300
(18) T0 = 150 kN

250 250

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
ΔTp (kN)
ΔTp (kN)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 29. Moment vs increment in tendon forces for T0 = 110 kN and T0 = 150 kN.

slip between the surfaces. Fig. 33 shows the development of relative when compared to the control beam. Among the prestressed beams, the
horizontal displacement between the slab and the steel beam (slip) at the one with draped tendon presented the higher slip. This effect happens
end of the beam, where the shear demand is higher, for the 16,000 mm because the tendon is placed closer to the steel-concrete interface,
long beam. It is noted an increase in slip for the beams with prestressing restricting the movement of the steel girder, which increase the relative

17
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

350 (1) Control Beam 350

(4) lp = 3700 mm (11) Control Beam
(5) lp = 4500 mm (14) lp = 7200
300 (6) lp = 1500 mm
300 (15) lp = 8000
L/50 (16) lp = 5000
L/100 L/50
250 250 L/100

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)
150 150

100 100

50
50
0
0 -10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
-5 15 35 55 75 95 δ (mm)
δ (mm)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 30. Moment vs deflection for different tendon lengths and he = − 50 mm.

350 350
(1) Control Beam (11) Control Beam
(2) lp = 4500 (12) lp = 8000
300 (3) lp = 1500 300 (13) lp = 5000
L/50
L/50
250 L/100
250 L/100

200 200
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)

150 150

100 100

50 50

0 0
-5 15 35 55 75 95 -10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
δ (mm) δ (mm)
(a) 4500 mm span (b) 8000 mm span
Fig. 31. Moment vs deflection for different tendon lengths and he = 50 mm.

slip between the surfaces. The ones with straight tendon had similar
behavior for the different initial prestressing forces and number of ten­
dons. The same behavior trend was observed at the beams with the other
lengths.
6.7. Analytical method
The results obtained by the analytical method to estimate the ulti­
mate bending moment resistance were compared with the results from
the numerical models (Table 6). The results presented for the finite
element models were displacement-controlled, and the values for the
limits of L/100 and L/50 are shown. The analytical results were obtained
considering two hypotheses: taking into account only the initial pre­
stressing force at the beam resistance, and considering the increment in
prestressing force due to loading action in addition to the initial pre­
stressing force. In Fig. 34 are shown the relative error between numer­
ical and analytical ultimate moment for the mentioned hypotheses.
The comparison between finite element models and analytical out­
comes indicate that the analytical methodology leads to adequate results
and can be used to estimate the ultimate moment resistance.
7. Conclusion
The present work investigated the behavior of steel-concrete com­
posite beams prestressed with external tendons, through the develop­
ment of a parametric numerical study that explored the influence of
several relevant parameters. Also, the accuracy of an analytical method
for predicting the ultimate resistance of the beams was verified on the
proposed models. These are the main conclusions:
• The numerical model developed with Abaqus software was able to
simulate the behavior of steel-concrete composite beams prestressed
with external tendons, proven by comparing the numerical models
with the experimental data;
• All the different tendon settings placed on the steel-concrete com­
posite beams significantly improved the ultimate moment resistance
when comparing to the control beams, without prestressing;
• There are no significant differences in the overall behavior of beams
with straight or draped tendons in beams with small tendon eccen­
tricities. However, due to higher stresses at the ends of the beams in
the models with straight tendons, more prominent tensile damage

18
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

400 1400

350 1200

300
1000
250
800
M (kN.m)

M (kN.m)
200
600
150 (21) Control Beam
(11) Control Beam 400 (22) Straight tendon T0=150
100 (12) Straight tendon T0=110 (23) Draped tendon T0=150
(17) Draped tendon T0=110 (24) Double straight tendon T0=150
(18) Straight tendon T0=150 200 (25) Straight tendon T0=110
50 L/50 L/50
L/100 L/100
0 0
-10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 -40 0 40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320
δ (mm) δ (mm)

(a) 8000 mm span (b) 16000 mm span

2400

2000

1600
M (kN.m)

1200

(26) Control Beam

800 (27) Straight tendon T0=150
(28) Draped tendon T0=150
(29) Double straight tendon T0=150
400 (30) Straight tendon T0=110
L/50
L/100
0
-50 50 150 250 350 450
δ (mm)

(c) 20000 mm span

Fig. 32. Moment vs deflection for different beam lengths.

eccentricity, which are reduced by placing the tendons near the

0.4 section centroid;
The increase in the initial prestressing force has no significant effect
(21) Control beam
(22) Straight tendon T0=150 •
0.35 (23) Draped tendon T0=150
(24) Double straight tendon T0=150
on the overall behavior of the beams at the elastic stages for the
0.3 (25) Straight tendon T0=110 evaluated models. When submitted to higher initial stresses, the
tendons suffered lower stresses increments due to loading action. In
0.25 tendons with lower initial stresses, the increments were higher. The
total stresses are similar in both cases, which leads to resembling
Slip (mm)

0.2
results;
0.15 • The influence of tendon length proved to be significant. Placing
shorter tendons only in the central region where pure bending oc­
0.1 curs, is less effective than placing intermediate or full-length tendons
0.05
when evaluating the ultimate moment resistance and the develop­
ment of deflections;
0 • Longer beams need a higher setting of prestressing than shorter
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 beams to attain the same improvement in the overall behavior and an
M (kN.m)
elevated ultimate moment resistance. This can be achieved with
Fig. 33. Moment vs slip at steel-concrete interface raising the tendon eccentricity and increasing the number of
tendons;
• The presence of external prestressing directly influences the behavior
occurred at the concrete slab. For larger eccentricities, the models
of the interface between concrete slab and steel girder at the an­
with draped tendons proved to be stiffer and more resistant than
chorages. The relative slip between the surfaces at the end of the
those with straight tendons. This happens due to the occurrence of
beam increases with the presence of prestressing. Draped tendons
even higher stresses at the ends of the beam caused by the elevated

19
M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

Table 6
Comparison between numerical and analytical ultimate moment resistance.
Model FE Model Analytical Comparison

Mu,FE,L/100 (kN.m) Mu,FE,L/50 (kN.m) Mu,A (kN.m) Mu,A,ΔT (kN.m) Mu,FE,L/100/ Mu,A Mu,FE,L/100/ Mu,A,ΔT Mu,FE,L/50/ Mu,A Mu,FE,L/50/ Mu,A,ΔT

1 186.65 204.6 185.71 – 1.01 – 1.10 –

2 258.38 303.8 249.78 271.07 1.03 0.95 1.22 1.12
3 208.86 231.75 249.78 256.86 0.84 0.81 0.93 0.90
4 281.8 303.67 271.78 290.63 1.04 0.97 1.12 1.04
5 288.87 325.06 271.78 313.38 1.06 0.92 1.20 1.04
6 212.33 250.99 271.78 287.69 0.78 0.74 0.92 0.87
7 256.8 298.99 249.78 267.38 1.03 0.96 1.20 1.12
8 271.31 308.95 270.72 286.90 1.00 0.95 1.14 1.08
9 309.72 359.57 315.72 335.98 0.98 0.92 1.14 1.07
10 281.97 323.11 315.72 337.07 0.89 0.84 1.02 0.96
11 157.5 176.63 193.27 – 0.81 – 0.91 –
12 260.88 260.88 258.12 275.78 1.01 0.95 1.01 0.95
13 205.22 233.03 258.12 261.36 0.80 0.79 0.90 0.89
14 257.15 261.73 280.12 287.86 0.92 0.89 0.93 0.91
15 241.06 252.91 280.12 316.09 0.86 0.76 0.90 0.80
16 225.55 241.07 280.12 290.53 0.81 0.78 0.86 0.83
17 250.95 342.52 258.12 270.31 0.97 0.93 1.33 1.27
18 241.45 286.04 280.29 291.75 0.86 0.83 1.02 0.98
19 273.55 328.31 291.12 338.73 0.94 0.81 1.13 0.97
20 255.92 303.27 291.12 338.62 0.88 0.76 1.04 0.90
21 753.40 848.92 815.18 – 0.92 – 1.04 –
22 935.41 1067.50 984.43 1006.63 0.95 0.93 1.08 1.06
23 930.91 1063.95 984.43 1013.32 0.95 0.92 1.08 1.05
24 1087.04 1234.10 1138.63 1223.75 0.95 0.89 1.08 1.01
25 898.33 1037.01 943.11 965.55 0.95 0.93 1.10 1.07
26 1382.03 1518.30 1512.93 – 0.91 – 1.00 –
27 1623.95 1819.36 1742.55 1780.65 0.93 0.91 1.04 1.02
28 1637.26 1822.36 1742.55 1786.35 0.94 0.92 1.05 1.02
29 1838.62 2062.77 1936.55 2083.10 0.95 0.88 1.07 0.99
30 1575.81 1780.54 1690.62 1729.29 0.93 0.91 1.05 1.03

L/100 L/100,ΔT L/50 L/50,ΔT

50%
L = 4500 L = 8000 L = 16000 L = 20000
40%
30%
20%
10%
Error (%)

0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
-50%
Samples

Fig. 34. Relative error between numerical and analytical ultimate moment.

proved to induce greater relative slip at the interface than the
straight ones;
• The analytical method results showed good agreement when
compared to the finite element results for most cases and can be used
to estimate the ultimate moment resistance in composite beams
prestressed with external tendons.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.

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M.M.R. Almeida et al. Journal of Constructional Steel Research 189 (2022) 107087

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